Sheet material handling



Allg., l, 1950 H, w, DAvEs 2,517,388

SHEET MATERIAL HANDLING Filed April 4, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet Jl A .lav

A118 l, 1950 H. w. DAvEs 2,517,388

SHEET MATERIAL HANDLING Filed April 4, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 2 g ma minimunwugmhnu y l .la "L HGM/ARD W DAVES ATTORNEY INVENTOR I Patented Aug. l, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE :,:srzss n snaar surnam.' HANDLING Howard W. Daves, Alcol., Tenn., aasignor to Aluminum Company o! America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,583 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-74) The hereinafter described invention relates generally to material handling mechanisms, and whilenot necessarily so limited in its adaption, relates more particularly to mechanism for receiving strips, jsheets or plates of material such as metal, or the like, in successive order and thereafter automatically stacking or piling the same in an orderly fashion.

It is a principal object of the invention toprovide mechanism of the general character above indicated which readily adapts itself to associa--` tion with types of machinery, such as flying shears, rolling mills, sheet andstrip proceing devices and semior whollyr automatic equipment whose output will be greatly enhanced by the mechanism of the invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that' is adjustable to varying sizes and types of material requiring handling and stacking.

Another object is to supply a sheet handling and stacking apparatus that is automatically controlled in its operationby the material presented and passing through the same.

A further object is to provide a mechanism which is capable of receiving, conveying and thereafter discharging material, preferably in sheet or plate form, in orderly stacked relationship with a minimum amount of surface interference or contact with mechanical engaging means during the. handling of successive sheets of material.

These and other objects will become apparent to those versed in the art on consideration of the detailed description of the invention as described "35 in connection with one embodiment thereof and illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a topvplan view of a sheet handling and stacking mechanism in association with a delivery or charging device;

Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 with parts broken away to more clearly show the incorporated construction;

Fig. 3 represents an end elevational view of the mechanism taken in the direction of the arrows III-III on Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 represents a sectional, elevational view taken along the line IV--IV of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts and elements throughout theseveral views, the mechanism of this invention has been illustrated as incorporating a material delivering or charging unit, a receiving and conveying unit, an auto- 2 matically functioning fluid pressure applying and material guiding means, and a stack receivinl apparatus, each of which is represented in its individual entirety by the reference numerals III, 5I, 90 and I Il), respectively.

Referring to the material delivering unit Il, this unit is constructed in the form of a main frame comprising side members I2, I4, preferably in the form of structural channels. The side members are tied together in rigid structural relationship by cross members I5, I6 and Il to form a rigid frame structure for supporting horizontally disposed belt pulleys or drums It, I9, 2l and 2l. The aforementioned belt pulleys or drums, in cooperation with belt tightening pulleys 22, support a plurality of endless belts 24, the top surfaces of which serve as a conveyor to transport material brought into contact therewith, the translatory motion imparted to the material being one of delivery in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2)

In order that the endless belts 24 may be maintained at a uniform tension, the belt tightening pulleys 22 are each rotatably supported in suitable individual frames 28, pivotally mounted on shaft 30, the latter being supported in bearings 3| that are mounted on brackets 32 secured to side members I2 and I4. The belt tightening frames 2l are each constructed in the general form of a bell crank and carry dead weights 34 of sufficient magnitude to tend to rotate frames 28 in an anticlockwise direction to exert uniform tension in each of the belts 24 through the action of belt tightening pulleys 22 supported therein.

In order that belt' pulleys I8, 20 and 2| may be suitably aligned and adjusted with respect to idler pulley I9 and the axis of frame I0, the various shafts supporting these pulleys have been mounted in suitable bearings 35, 36 and 31, respectively, that may be shim adjusted through the medium of suitable shim stock with respect to the main frame Il. In a similar manner, bearings 3|, supporting the belt tightening frames 28. are shim mounted to permit alignment and adjustment of shaft-1I with respect to the remain` vice normally disposed at the discharge side of a material processing or fabricating apparatus, such as a rolling mill, flying shear, printing press, or the like, its chief purpose in commotion with the present invention being to provide a delivery or charging means fcr'materiai presented' therem. A

To the left of delivery unit Il and in cooperation therewith. as illustrated in Figs. land 2, is a receiving and conveying unit Il. This unit comprises a main frame supported by four leg members 52 which are tied together at theirupper ends by means of cross beams I4. AdJacent the cross beammembers I4 and immediately below the same, two cross shafts Il and Il are supported in suitable bearings Il secured to the outer surfaces of members 52.

A belt supporting frame, represented in its entirety by the reference numeral il, is secured lto the underside of cross beams ll and ties them together longitudinally. This belt supporting frame is preferably constructed from two side rails in the form of structural channel members BI provided with bearing members 62 (Fig. 4) for receiving the aforementioned shafts i5 and 5I. Y

The rail members Si are further tied together at suitablyspaced intervals along their length by means of cross members 64 which preferably take the form of structural angle members. Cross shafts 65 are disposed at each end of frame members 6I and are supported in bearings 66 carried by these rail members. In the preferred construction of the apparatus of the invention, bearings Il are shim mounted withrespect to rails 6i in order that shafts 65, supported therein, may be properly aligned and adjusted with respect to the axis of main frame 50. The shafts in each case. support belt pulleys or drums 61 which carry or support a plurality of endless belts 69. the upper runs of the belts passing over an intermediate idler roller or drum il, supported intermediate the ends of frame t0, and a belt direction changing pulley or drum Iii.- Thevdrum is preferably supported on shaft 42, carried in bearings 43, which are adjustabiy mounted on rail members 6I adjacent the right end drum, or pulley 61, as viewed in Fig. 2. Suitable bell crank type belt tighteners 10, incor# porating belt tightening pulleys li, are pivotally supported at 12 upon frame 60 for the purpose of maintaining a definite tension on endless belts il through counterclockwise movement under the influence of dead weights 13.

Belt backup means, in the form of wood boards 80, is secured to the underside of frame i0, the disposition of these boards being such that they lie with the lower surface thereof in a plane tangential to the underside of belt drums 61, best seen in Figs. 2 and 4.

An automatically functioning uuid pressure applying means 90, in combination with sheet or-edge guiding members, is dependentLv-sup-e.

ported from cross shafts and 56. The guide Lportion of this assembly comprises rail mem-r cppositely disposed sets of guide rails and fingers.

5 Each distributor pipe Il is providedalong its length with spaced nonies ill, the angle of discharge of the nozzles being directed inward` ly and upwardly, as best disclosed in Pig. 4.

'I'he otherwiseopen ends of distributor pipes or manifols Il are suitably sealed or capped, and

fluid pressure connection is made with the interior of the distributor pipes from a header pipe or manifold m tnrwgn'the hose members I".

In order that the mechanism of the invention may be adapted to the handling of various widths of material, a means has been provided for ad- `iusting the lateral distance between guide rails s2. This means comprises the aforementioned shafts l5, il in cooperation with the internally threaded nut members I3. Sprockets ill and |00 are secured to an outboard end of shafts 55 and 58, respectively, and an endless roller chain is engaged with said sprockets for the purpose of mechanically interconnecting the same. A hand wheel I is secured to the opposite end of shaft 58. Rotation of this hand 'wheel serves to impart rotation to shafts Il and Il simultaneously thereby separating or closing thedepending guide membersr 92, together with their xed associated elements, through the action of internally threaded nut members 93 and right and left hand threaded portions of shafts Il and 58.

medium oi' flexible A material receiving platform I il! is located beneath the Amaterial receiving and conveying unit 50. The platform Iiil may be any suitable type capable of being removed or replaced as desired by means of well known industrial type tractory mechanism of the car type movable on. tracks,

. with which delivery unit is associated. In this all of which material handling mechanisms being well known. The power drive for the mechanisms of this o invention may 'be supplied direct from the mechanism 'with which it is associated. A relatively simple form of drive incorporates-'chainconnected sprockets H2, H4 (Fig. 1), which drive coordinates movement of endless belts 24 and 89.' The shaft supporting gear I i2 may be driven bythe same prime mover. driving the mechanism manner, the endless belts 24 and G9 will be driven in proper timed relationship with respectto the particular material processing apparatus with 55 and 5t, the purpose of which will be 4herein- 65 after more fully described. For ease in construction, the shafts 55 and 56 have been made in two sections coupled by means of a' sleeve tl, as best shown in Fig. 4.

Depending fingers t5 are secured to rails 92, 79

the inner vertical faces of the rails and :dngers being set back from theinner vertical surfaces which the mechanisms of this invention have been associated.` v

The delivery unit i0 and the receiver and com veyor unit 50 are disposed in serial relationship with their endless belts 24, B9 in overlapping relationship; as shown in Figs. l and 2, the material being delivered to the underside of belts 69 by'- belts 26. It will beunderstood thatthe longi tudinal center line of the receiving unit 50 is in alignment with 'the center line of travel of the material as itis presented thereto from the mechanism with which delivery unit Iii is associated. It willalso be understood that units' i0 and 50 maybe associated in such a manner that belts 69 overlap belts 24 an appreciable distance asiaass to insure and facilitate entrance of material ceing handled by the mechanisms of this invention.

In operation. sheet or like material delivered to belts 24 is charged or conveyed forwardly from right to left, as viewed in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Progress of the material along belts 2l intercepts a beam of light emanating from a light source H0, absence of which reacts with photoelectric cell IIS, relay I Is and solenoid valve |20 to admit fluid pressure, such as a-ir under pressure, to

.header |02 From the header |02, air pressure is delivered to distributor pipes 90 and escapes through nozzles in a direction to impinge upon the underside of sheet |22 (Fig. 4). The air 'pressure is so selected in terms of the weight of the material being hendled to iloat the same in surface contact with` the underside of belts 50 during translation of the sheet by these belts. Passage Aof the end of a sheet of material to the left beyond light source H6 causes the light beam, in cooperation with the photo-electric cell IIB, relay |9 and solenoid valve |20, to close the valve |2I ,and Vthereby shut olf air pressure at nozzles |00. Termination of air flow from nozzles |00 permits s. sheetof material previously supported thereby to gravitationally fall upon platform I I0, or uponthe uppermost sheet thereon.

It will be appreciated that some time delay will be required in the actual closure of solenoid valve |20 to cut oil air flow in order to allow the sheet to be moved to a key discharge point so as to thereby insure regular and orderly stacking of material by the mechanism of this invention. In this connection, it has been found that a delay oi about 21/2 seconds in the closure of solenoid valve |20, after the end of a sheet passes the light beam emanating from source IIS, is successful l in controlling air pressure or flow in the handling ci 42" width sheet material weighing 91/2 pounds per lineal foot, where the air jets are spaced on 6" centers along the length of distributor pipes stl. Since the uld pressure and interval of operation oi the solenoid valve are both adjustable in their operation, various combinations of air pressure and valve operation may be selected to suit a particular material being handled by the mechanism of this invention. For example, the interval of non-operation of fluid pressure may be obtained by utilizing any of the well known forms of circuit timing devices in the control circuit of solenoid valve |20. The same applies to the relative position of guide rails 82. these members being adjustable to suit the particular width of material it may handle. Distributor pipes 08 move with, and are thereby adjusted with, any adjustment made to guide rails 92, which iri- Isures correct directional application of fluid pressure upon the material being handled.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a specific form of apparatus, it is to be understood that it is not thereby limited in any way, except as defined in the appended claims, in. which:

1. In a material handling mechanism, a material receiving and conveying means, fluid pressure distributing means disposed beneath and longitudinally of said inst-mentioned means and directed upwardly towards a sheet of material in contact with the first-mentioned means, and means including a valve responsive to said material disposed between a source of fluid pressure and the distributing means for terminating the iiuid pressure to permit gravitational release of Said sheet.

6 2. Stacking apparatus comprising in combination, a framework, an endless belt carried thereby, means for feeding successive sheets to be stacked to the underside of said belt. means disposed beneath and longitudinally of said endless belt for directing iets of air upwardly against the underside of each sheet to hold the same in nesting contact with sala belt, and a. valve member actuated by each sheet to cut of! said air ietsto gravitationally release the sheet.

3. A material handling system comprising .au

belt conveyor means for receiving and conveying material, a delivery mechanism for delivering said material in successive sheets to said belt conveyor means, said delivery means being disposed adjacent and below one end of .said con#4 veyor means, uid pressure exerting means below and longitudinally of said conveyor means and directing fluid pressure upon the under surface of a sheet of material delivered tothe conveyor' plurality of endless belts, individuall belt tight-V ners associated with each lbelt to maintain uniform tension in all of said belts, a 'material receiving means comprising a framev supporting a plurality of endless belts, individual belt' tightners associated with each of the latter belts to maintain uniform tension therein,` means for coordinating movement of said two systemsj'of endless belts in timed relationship, fluid pres- `sure means disposed below and longitudinally of the endless belts of the receiving meansto iloatingly hold material in contact with the under-fh side of the endless belts duringmovement from the delivery to the receiving means, and automatic cut-off means responsive to said materialV for terminating the fluid pressure when the material has progressed beyond the delivery means. 5. In combination, a sheet receiving device, an endless conveyor extending rearwardly therefrom and disposed in position for receiving successive sheets adjacent the underside thereof, a rail member disposed at each side of saldi:` conveyor beneath the same and longitudinally thereof, each rail having a vertical depending surface for limiting lateral movement of sheets' traveling therebetween, a longitudinal manifold carried by each rail member and having a series of spaced orifices in line for discharge of air under pressure in a direction extending inwardly and up wardiy with respect to said vertical surface, whereby to hold the sheet against the underside of said conveyor, and a valve responsive to each sheet for terminating discharge of air from both of said manifolds.

6. A material handling mechanism comprising a conveyor system, a fluid pressure distributing system directing pressure towards said conveyor system over substantially its entire length to maintain a sheet of material in iioating contact with said conveyor system, a source of fluid pressure in communication with the fluid pressure distributing system, a valve member associated with' the source of fluid pressure and distributing system, said valve member having manipulating nuid pressure against the underside of a sheetv of material delivered to said conveyor to maintain the same in iloating contact therewith a )valve controlling uid pressure'to said pressure distributing system, said valve having manipulating meam disposed in the path of movement of the sheet of material and responsive thereto to cut o!! iiuid pressure in the absence of delivery f of a sheet oi material to the conveyor.

8. A sheet material handling and stacking mechanism comprising a delivery means, a conveyor'meanjs and a stack receiving means, a uid pressure distributing system below and longitudinally disposed in respect to said conveyor means and located above said stack receiving means, a source of iiuid pressure in communication with said distributing system, a valve mechanism between said source of iluid pressure and distributing system, and a valve actuating member for controlling iiuid pressure at the distributing system, said valve actuating member having'a manipulating means disposed in the path of movement of sheet material delivered to the conveyor means and responsive thereto to deliver fluid pressure to the fluid distributing system to maintain a sheet of material in surface contact with the conveyor means, and passage of said sheet oi material beyond said valve actuating manipulating means cutting oir said fluid pressure at the distributing system to permit gravitational stacking of the sheet of material on said stack receiving means.

9. A sheet material handling and stacking mechanism comprising a delivery means, a conveyor means and a stack receiving means, a iluid pressure distributing system below and longitudinally disposed in respect to the conveyor means and located above said stack receiving means. a source of iiuid pressure in communication with said distributing system, a valve mechanism between said source of fluid pressure and distributing system, said valve mechanism including a beam of light disposed above the path of travel of a sheet of material delivered to the conveyor and directed towards a light sensitive cell in the valve mechanism. said beam of light on interception by a sheet of material maintaining fluid pressure at `the distributing system to float the sheet of material into surface contact with the conveyor means, and said beam of light reacting on said light sensitive cell in the absence of a sheet of material to cut of! the fluid pressure at the distributing system. whereby the sheet of material is gravitationally stacked on the stack receiving means. Y

` HOWARD W. DAVES.-

REFERENCES CITED yThe following references are of record in ille oi' this patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number Name Datel 43,349 Tucker June 28, 1864 949,935 Y Maxson Feb. 22, 1910 1,236,181 Kast Aug. '1,1917 1,512,413, Fitzsimmons Oct. 21, 1921 1,634,196 Jones June 28, 1927 1,957,621 Styron May 8, 1934 2,166,447 Ruppenthal July 18, 1939 2,198,067 Stande Apr. 23, 1940 2,261,971 Matthews Nov. 11, 1941 2,374,174 Buccicone Apr. 24,1945 y2,381,719 Brintnall Aug. 7, 1945 2,427,223 Moore Sept. 9, 1947 lFOREIGli PATENTS Number Country Date 119,979 Great Britain O ct. 24. 1918 

